


A Half-Hour Late and You Smell Like Danny (Queer Prom)

by totallyrandom



Series: LGBTQ Days [4]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Bisexual Male Character, Bisexual Stiles Stilinski, Canon Character of Color, Canon Gay Character, Canon LGBTQ Character, Derek Hale is Bad at Feelings, Derek Hale is too old for prom, Drag Queens, Established Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Established Relationship, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Character of Color, LGBTQ Themes, M/M, Prom, Queer Prom, RIP Allison Argent, RIP Derek's pseudo biker gang, Stiles gets to dance with Derek anyway, Suits, a little bit angsty, offscreen trans character, original character: drag queen Anita Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-08
Updated: 2015-08-08
Packaged: 2018-04-13 13:47:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4524312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/totallyrandom/pseuds/totallyrandom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stiles goes to the BHHS prom with Lydia. The pack gets a limo that Derek pays for. Lydia finds Stiles a suit that fits him perfectly so he’s on her level in the gazillion photos they take. Derek isn’t jealous at all. </p><p>Stiles also goes to Jungle’s queer prom. Derek shaves to look younger and dresses up in a suit so he can join him at Jungle’s all-ages after-party with the drag queens. Scott is Stiles’s date. Danny dances with both of them before the night is over. Derek is not amused. Stiles thinks his jealousy is ridiculous and a little heartbreaking and a lot adorable.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Beacon Hills High School senior prom

     

 

“Stiles, I am DONE with high school boys,” Lydia tells him. “Already five guys have asked me to prom. Today. In terrifyingly ‘romantic’ ways. And two girls, who weren’t much better. I didn’t even know their names. So.  _You_ are going to ask me to prom at lunch. Loudly. But that shouldn’t be a problem for you.”

“Sure, Lydia. I guess it’s tradition at this point.” 

“Yes,” she says, her hand straying down to her side. “Well, let’s hope this one won’t involve bloodshed.” She clears her voice and says primly, “So, invite me to prom at lunch today and we’ll all go shopping Saturday afternoon.”

“As you wish.” Stiles bows to her. She squints back at him, but he can tell she’s trying to suppress a smile.

 

***

 

They don’t talk about the last time they all went shopping together for a dance. Lydia tries to focus on the positives. After all, Kira takes Lydia’s sartorial “suggestions” more seriously than Allison did. It’s gratifying, in a way, and at least no creepy uncle shows up this time. She takes a moment to feel the loss of her best friend and then straightens her spine and pushes on.

“You know, Kira, if you wear a cute tuxedo, you could use your katana-belt in lieu of a cummerbund.” Kira squeals her approval.

Stiles is relieved to know at least _someone_ in the pack other than Derek shares his well-founded pessimism regarding school events. He’s also relieved that the suit she picks out for him means he won’t have to wear a tie.

“I’ve already convinced the Sheriff to pay me back for your suit.”

“What? Awesome! How?” 

“I pointed out you’ll need a decent suit for college work-study and internship interviews. And that I would find one perfect for you to wear to any engagement parties or semiformal weddings, should the need arise.”

Stiles chokes. He can just imagine how his dad took that hint.

“Plus, there’s a minor defect around one of the pockets. With the discount they’ll give me, it should be in the right price range.”

“Cool. So you just embarrassed him into saying yes?” Lydia tilts her head. “Oh. Ok. What else?" 

“You have to let him have a strip of bacon every Saturday for the next 6 months without complaint. It was the best I could do.” She stares him down.

“Fine. Yeah. Ok.”

“Really? That’s all you have to say?”

“… Oh, Lydia, my brilliant ginger queen! … You are the shrewdest of negotiators. Thank you for your invaluable assistance once again. … All our endeavors would be doomed to fail without you. … Oh. Hey. This means I can afford new brakes for the Jeep before the dance. Sweeeeeeeet.”

“What?” Kira frowns. “I thought Derek was getting us a limo?” Lydia sighs and gives her a pointed look. “Oh no. That was a secret.”

Stiles just gapes at them then texts Derek: _LIMO??? ru 4real? ur not even going! u tried to get us not 2 go! how????????? why?????????_

Derek’s reply is: _Scott pouted._

Stiles can’t even write back because he’s busy rolling around on the floor laughing.

“Come on, Kira. I’m sure he can find us in the shoe section once he grows up. I think some youth size wingtips will go quite nicely with your tux.”

 

***

 

Derek had lied about the limo, but only a little bit. Even before Scott begged, Derek woke from weekly nightmares of a giant snake swallowing up the school or pixies invading the gym to abduct Stiles during the dance. He’s not even sure if pixies actually exist. Obviously he’s too old for high school dances, even if the school would let in anyone over 21, which they don’t. So, safety in numbers just makes sense.

So when Scott had said, “Wouldn’t it be cool if we could have a limo? We could all cram in the back and have a guy in a funny hat drive us around and pretend not to see us sipping from a flask in the back. And if we got drunk, we’d already have a DD!” Derek grabs on to the excuse and rents the pack a limo for the night, making sure it will meet Lydia’s posh and very long list of specifications. Derek’s reasoning is strategic, but Scott just wants it for photos and joyriding. A perfect example of their leadership styles, really.

On prom night, Kira bounces over as the limo pulls up, “Scott! You have the best ideas ever. Oh, take pictures of us wearing the hat and pretending to drive. Me first!” The driver looks like she’s about to object until Derek slips her a twenty.

Stiles also insists on some photos with them hanging out of the sunroof and windows. Derek growls, but Stiles promises it isn’t a dog joke. He pulls Derek aside for a quick selfie of them kissing on the hood of the limo while Derek wears the driver’s hat. While she’s rebuffing the hood, Derek slips her another twenty.

“I’ll look at this picture every time I miss you tonight,” Stiles mocks, fluttering his eyelashes. Derek rolls his eyes but grabs the phone and texts himself the picture. Stiles muffles his laughter in Derek’s chest.

Derek had strongarmed Mason and Liam into volunteering to work at the dance. Like Derek, they’re less dressed up than the others, but that’s ok.

“Ok,” Lydia says. “You three stand in the back. That will hide your outfits.” Stiles sets himself a reminder to frame the photo for Derek’s birthday.

Derek watches them pull away and tries not to worry. Before they left, Lydia had repeated her laundry list of reasons why waiting for them in the parking lot or lurking around the tree line all night is _not_ an option. Everything from “high potential for arrest as a total creeper or suspected drug dealer” to “proximity to the overwhelming stench of a recently used high school gym plus hundreds of students with raging hormones all pressed against each other.” So he drives back to his house, grabs a random book, and waits for text updates from Stiles.

As promised, Stiles texts Derek at least every half-hour “so you’ll know everyone is still ok, worry wolf.”

_To Derek: arrived wo incident_

Kira spills half a cup of punch on Scott’s thrift-store suit within the first 15 minutes, but that had been inevitable. Lydia is of course prepared with a tiny bottle of club soda and stain prewash wipes.

“That’s ok,” Scott tells Kira. “It doesn’t really fit anymore anyway. Mom had to sew the right sleeve back on. Twice. I guess my right arm is like bigger than the left?”

_To Derek: lyds happy no1 here wearing her dress. wonder if she hid others at the store_

Lydia keeps Stiles on a short leash, so he doesn’t maim anyone on the dance floor or step on her $500 shoes. They’re a few seasons old, but she knows that without Allison there’s no one at the dance to notice. She shakes off the melancholy as Stiles leads her out for their first dance.

“I have maintained these shoes perfectly for three years, and _you_ are not going to ruin them in one night. I can’t believe my father went from trying to buy my love to dodging child-support payments!”

_To Derek: lyd wont let me lead. ever_

_To Derek: booooooooored_

_To Derek: liam wont spike punch 4 us :(_

_To Derek: mason spiked a punch!_

_To Derek: some1 bumped kira scott had 2 stop her from using teh belt_

_To Derek: harrris sux. dumped th boozy punch bowl :(_

_To Derek: danny twirled scott 2 closee 2 punch table. bye all punch_

_To Derek: sux leather trio not here. mihgt even mis jackass. jk_

_To Derek: guy her w danny looks 30. miss u xoxoxooxo_

_To Derek: sooooooooo dooooooone_

All in all, the dance is mostly boring but kind of fun anyway, a surprisingly normal high school experience.

_To Dad: No maiming or murder. I declare this dance a roaring success._

_To Parrish: no blood or bodies. stand down deputy pretty eyes_

_To Derek: omw 2lyds_  

_From Derek: Go home and shower. TWICE. And change all your clothes. Then come back for ‘80s teen movies at my place if you want._

Stiles definitely wants.

 

 


	2. Queer prom

The local schools don’t have enough LGBTQ+ students to hold their own queer proms, so Jungle is opening early for a combined prom. It’s open to all high school students and their dates under 21.

Liam helps Mason get ready for the dance. He tries to figure out how to straighten his tie without much luck. Mostly he’s just there for moral support. “You excited to go and actually dance?”

“Yeah? I mean, I hope I get to dance. I’m glad Brett and I are just going as friends. I mean, I’d definitely be into exploring his miles of muscles. Definitely. But it would be so weird if we slow dance and he can smell that I’m interested. No offense or anything but mostly it’s just nice to have an out guy to hang out and scope guys with.”

“So you don’t want to date Brett?”

“He doesn’t even go to our school. I’d never see him. Plus the whole dating a werewolf thing … no offense. Just, for my first boyfriend? That’d be intense. But at least we don’t have to walk into the dance alone. And he can sniff out if the guys are supernatural or whatever, right?”

“Maybe? Scott will be there too.”

 

***

 

Stiles pouts _a lot_ about not getting to show Derek off at the queer prom because “ _Hells yeah_ , I would have the hottest date in the history of this dance! … Even if that history is none. Because this is the first year for Jungle’s queer prom. … Whatever, Derek, you know what I mean. It sucks.” Derek just laughs and kisses his pouty lip.

They get a bit distracted, as usual, and Scott has to pull Stiles away before Derek messes up his hair. “Dude, wait until after the dance. Or at least after the photos!” 

Like the best bro he is, Scott is taking Stiles to the dance. “We’re totally platonic life mates, dude,” Stiles says. “Like Jay and Silent Bob, except you talk, Scott. And don’t wear a trench coat. Yeah, never wear a trench coat, dude.” As usual, Scott has no idea what Stiles is talking about.

Stiles is wearing his same BHHS prom suit, of course and still looks “fiiiiiiine, if I do say so myself.”

“You have been. For like half an hour, bro.” Stiles punches him in the arm and immediately regrets it.

Derek dutifully massages Stiles’s hand and tries to avoid looking at Scott’s ruffly blue tux monstrosity. He had picked it up at a thrift store after Stiles read his old suit its last rites. It is beyond hideous, so of course Scott and Stiles love it.

Even though he can’t go to the dance, Stiles convinced Derek to wear a nice suit and shave for their pre-dance photos. The shave definitely makes him look younger. And less sketchy. “You really do clean up nice, babe. If you shaved like this all the time, I bet no one would suspect you of murder anymore.” Derek growls. “Quit. We don’t have time for that right now, Derek.” Stiles sighs. “At least I can show you off at the all-ages after-party to the people who really matter: my drag queens."

“Yours?”

Stiles just raises an eyebrow at him. “Anita Tension threatened me with bodily injury if I don’t stick around tonight so she can see me all spiffed up,” Stiles reminds him. “So leave the suit on when we go and meet me at Jungle at 10:30. It will be nice to have the whole pack together looking good and doing something fun to celebrate a year without any of us dying. Too bad it will be too dark to take pictures.”

Scott starts to look sad at the reminder of all those who are missing, so Stiles distracts him by making Derek take a series of increasingly ridiculous photos of Scott and Stiles in front of the Jeep, calling it quits once Stiles looks like he’s going to get down on one knee and pretend to propose. “Don’t ruin your suit.”

Scott insists on taking some super-serious traditional prom photos of Stiles and Derek together in front of the renovated house. “Ok. Enough. I’ll see you at 10:30, babe.”

 

***

 

Scott and Stiles are _menaces_ on the dance floor. They’re free to throw themselves around with abandon since Lydia and Kira aren’t there to stop them. Everyone else seems too nervous to step out. After the first song, it’s clear _no one_ could possibly be any worse than those two fools, so everyone relaxes and a few other people start to dance.

Most people are still just hanging around the edges of the dance floor quietly by themselves or in small groups. Some people have color-coded necklaces on indicating which patch in the QUILTBAG they claim. It’s a little weird at first, but Stiles thinks it’s kind of a nice way to make it easier to ask strangers to dance. Or just to find people to talk to. And it means no one has to actually come out to people over and over all night.

Stiles notices a group of trans kids over by the punch bowl and near the cookies are some bi kids, including Caitlyn. No one’s forced to pick any necklaces, of course. And they didn’t seem to have any for allies. With Scott’s friendly smile, though, people start coming up to talk to him. As the actual queer student in their pair, Stiles tries not to take offense. Instead, he makes the rounds seeing if some of the loners want to “shake a groove thing” with him and Scott.

After a few more songs, Scott and Stiles have amassed a group of about 15 people in the middle of the dance floor, just all sort of dancing together. Or at least near each other.

When the slow dances start, Scott tells them earnestly, “Ok. So. I’m actually seeing this awesome girl Kira at my school. And I have to dance this first one with Stiles, because he’s my best best bro. But after that, come get me if you want to dance, ok? Because I want to dance!” Stiles is pretty sure Scott just broke some hearts.

Stiles and Scott try so hard to dance the first two slow songs together, but they mostly laugh and trip over each other the whole time. After they break apart, Scott dances with tons more people, and Stiles notices that each of them seem more confident afterward. He whispers, “You are the best, true alpha.” Scott hears Brett laughing across the room and blushes.

“Yo, Danny! I didn’t know you’d be here.”

“Why are you and Scott here?” Stiles points to his necklace.

“Since when?”

“Since … ever, dude. How did my mad flirting with you not tip you off?”

“I thought that was just you being you.”

“It _was_ me being me. And me is bi.”

“If that’s your idea of flirting, no wonder you’re here with Scott.”

“You wound me, Danny boy! And I don’t see _you_ with a date.”

“I don’t even want to be here, but my little sister is big into the QSA at her middle school now and I didn’t want to disappoint her. At least there’s an after party. With a real bar.”

“Fair. I’m just taking a breather. I don’t want to smother Scott.”

“I think most people would pick being smothered over dancing with you.”

“Ha ha. Speaking of killing people, how’s Jackson?”

Danny grits his teeth. “Low, dude.”

“Sorry. Sorry.”

“My sister actually emailed Jackson and asked him to fly over and take me to this dance. I didn’t know until he called and said he’d buy me round-trip plane tickets for a European vacation together after graduation if I didn’t make him come back to Beacon Hills. So I can’t be too mad at her. Anyway, try not to give anyone a concussion tonight.”

“Love you too!”

Unsurprisingly, Danny is very popular. Stiles watches him accept a dance with a gay guy in a full-on tux with tails who is way geekier than Stiles. And then a supermodel-looking genderqueer student who is majorly showing Stiles up by looking impeccable in the same suit. Stiles finds that offensive and totally gets Lydia’s dress drama now. Danny goes through them pretty quickly, not dancing with anyone twice.

During a lull, he wanders over to Scott and Stiles, who have so far not injured anyone, but there have been several close calls. Danny considers it a civic duty to break up the danger to society and asks Scott if he’s tired of Stiles and wants to dance with him instead.

“Yes! Awesome, dude. You lead, though, because I’m terrible. Kira always leads.”

“Yeah, I bet,” Danny laughs, leading him far away from Stiles for a couple songs.

_To Derek: danny stole my scott :(_

Somehow, Scott convinces Danny to take pity on Stiles and drags him back onto the dance floor with them. Danny tries very hard to rein him in and show him how to move without so much flailing. He considers it a gift to everyone who will be at Jungle tonight, and also a bit of self-preservation. But Scott is going to owe him a drink or three.

Danny has his hands on Stiles’s hips, trying to show him how to actually move _with_ the beat when the music shifts to a slow song. Stiles blushes but Danny just laughs and figures why not. So they move closer and dance and talk more about Jackson for a song before moving apart when the song ends. “Thanks, Danny,” Stiles mumbles and gives him a small, genuine smile before spotting Scott’s rescue-me eyes and heading off to save his best friend from some handsy student from another school.

It looks like Scott was about to resort to werewolf strength if Stiles didn’t pull him away pronto. Scott is so happy for the save that he throws his arms around Stiles and kisses him on the cheek.

Stiles considers that a pretty good moment to run away for a while and maybe grab some real food. He heads back to see if Danny wants to come with.

“Nah. I think I’m going to wait and see if Jayden wants to talk some more.”

Scott claps him on the shoulder, “That dude is awesome. I danced with him earlier. He smells really good. You should definitely go for it.”

“Dude, it’s rude to sniff strangers. Which one is he?” Danny discreetly points to where some trans guys have gathered over by the punch again. “The blonde in the wheelchair.”

“Oh, yeah. I met him. Hot surfer alert!” Stiles says.

Danny shushes him. “Yeah, that’s actually how he got injured. Before that he was nationally ranked or something. He actually surfed in a competition I was at in Hawaii last year while I was visiting my cousins there. I don’t remember him, but we were both there.”

“Awesome,” Stiles laughs. “Well, if it goes well, we’ll see you both when we get back.”

“If it goes well, I won’t be here when you get back,” Danny smirks.

Stiles shoots him finger guns and a huge grin then runs over to jump on Scott’s back. Brett hears them talking about getting some burgers and curly fries and grabs Mason to catch up.


	3. Jungle after-party

Derek gets to Jungle and immediately regrets showing up on time. The bouncer leered at him on the way in and the bartender is flirting and trying to ply him with free drinks.

_From Derek: You’re not here._

_To Derek: sry brb_

Anita Tension slides up next to him. “Derek! Where’s my Stiles? If he looks half as good as you tonight, I might faint watching you two together.”

“Thanks?”

“Since he’s not here yet, let’s talk. Or, let me talk anyway. As you know, we adore Stiles. And all he has to say about you is good things. But I just want you to know that we have our eyes on you. If you hurt Stiles, no one will find your stiletto-hole-riddled body.”

Derek rolls his eyes. “Stiles wouldn’t be heartbroken,” he says seriously. He knows plenty of people would love to help Stiles rebound from a breakup. Some of them are even at Jungle tonight. He’s smelled their interest before, seen their eyes track Stiles around a room. And that’s even before Stiles goes away to college, where people are bound to drool over his overprotective, swimmer’s build, sarcastic librarian appeal. Derek frowns. He pegs his own chances of ever finding someone he could trust, who would see past his scowl, and who would make him laugh to be approximately zero.

Anita notices the change in Derek’s mood and turns contrite. “Oh, honey. You’ve got it bad, don’t you? Well, GOOD. Stiles is a peach, and the only bruises you better give him are love bites, you feel me?” Derek frowns harder. “Hmmm. I think maybe you will be good to him.” She looks him up and down. “Yes, I think you’ll do fine. Now run along.”

Derek sighs, tired of this conversation but needing her to know: “He’s the only good thing in Beacon Hills.” Anita chuckles, patting him on the ass as she moves away toward more cheerful company.

Even the bright lights and loud music can’t pull Derek out of his own head. He knows he’s on the short list of people Stiles cares about. Hell, Stiles saved his life more than once before he even stopped _disliking_ Derek. So whether Derek is good for him or not, he knows Stiles won’t let go.

Stiles is it for Derek, too. When this goes to shit, he knows he’ll be alone. It terrifies him. They don’t ever really talk about the future. Maybe because they don’t want to jinx the chances of everyone left making it to graduation. Or maybe because neither of them are great with feelings. But Derek has to admit to himself at least that there’s probably nothing Stiles could ever do that would make Derek give up on them. How could Stiles ever do anything worse than what Derek has already been through, anyway? He groans. He’s in so far over his head and Stiles is only 18, dating for the first time. Derek should have waited. Should give him up. Send him off to college a single guy. But Derek is well aware that he’s too selfish for it, even if Stiles would let him get away with it.

Derek’s brooding is already at code orange when Stiles finally walks in. Anita and the other drag queens yell hello and make a big show of waving him over, but he sees Derek’s eyes flash from across the room and just throws them some kisses before striding over to wrap his arms around his boyfriend.

“You’re a half-hour late and you smell like Danny,” is how Derek greets him, pulling out of the embrace.

Stiles just stares at him for a second, his smile dropping. “Well, hello to you too,” he huffs. “It’s been like 15 minutes, which is well within the socially accepted window for a prompt arrival. And I’m sure I smell much more like Scott and general eau de teenager than I do Danny. It was only one slow dance!” Derek doesn’t say anything, just breathes through his mouth to avoid the smell.

“So, anyway, queer prom was fun and now I’m full of curly fries and ready to dance again. Thanks for asking.” Derek rolls his eyes but doesn’t smile.

“Oh my god. I’m soooooorry you’ve been lurking in this dark corner frowning at everyone for 15 loooooong minutes instead of maybe trying to act like someone who doesn’t chase fun through the forest in order to kill it dead. But that’s on you, dude. Now, I’m going to say hi to my girls and show off my fancy duds. Clearly you have no interest in joining me. So just …” he waves a hand around, “try to be less of an asshole when I get back, ok?” He runs his hands down Derek’s lapels and pecks him on the cheek before bouncing away.

“Shit. Shit shit shit,” Derek grumbles to himself before making a break for the door. Scott hears him and watches him leave. He makes worried eyes at Stiles, who just waves him off and plasters on his best smile.

“You ok, hon?” Anita asks him as the others coo over his suit and fuss with his hair.

“I think so. Derek’s in a foul mood. I mean, why meet me here all dressed up like Prince Fucking Charming if he’s just going to be a dick? I know this all must feel immature to him, but he seemed into it earlier. I think.”

“Oh no. No, no, no. I’m so sorry, Stiles. I think this black cloud maaaaaaaay be my fault?” Stiles raises an eyebrow and gestures for her to continue. “I might have sort of maybe threatened Derek just a liiiiiiiiiiittle with a teeeeeeeeeeeny amount of bodily harm if he didn’t treat you right?”

Stiles groans then laughs then groans again, dropping his head onto her shoulder. “I love you too, ’Nita. And it’s not your fault Derek doesn’t know how to interact like a real person. But you can't threaten people for me! I better go drag him back before he works himself up into a dark night of the soul situation.”

“Oh! That reminds me! The DJ never played my Depeche Mode request. You go _take care of your man_ and then come back and dance with me.”

“… I can’t tell if you’re being dirty or implying I’m a 1950s housewife.”

“Oh, those ladies weren’t as vanilla as you’d think!” she calls after him.

Stiles finds Derek outside leaning against the building and staring at his hands.

“Hey, you ok?” Stiles whispers as he reaches over to take Derek’s hands in his.

“Yeah,” Derek sighs.

“Want to try that again?”

“I’m sorry,” Derek says and leans into Stiles.

“Well, I’m sorry my overprotective drag mom gave you the stilleto talk. It wasn’t necessary, obviously. You’d punish yourself worse than anyone else could. Whether you deserved it or not. And, you know, I feel pretty safe putting my money on NOT. But, um, beating yourself up kind of hurts me? Because you’re hurting someone who’s important to me. So if you could maybe not do that? Ever, preferably. But at least for tonight. Let’s not let these hot suits go to waste. I really need you to come dance with me in ways Anita will approve but my dad definitely would not. Like, now. Please.”

Derek just gapes at him, unprepared for such an abrupt change in mood. He can’t quite catch up. But it’s always that way with Stiles. “You’d have more fun without me.”

“NEVER,” Stiles snarls. “Are you fucking kidding me, Derek Hale?! You self-flagellating martyr! Oh my god. I just got out of my _second_ prom. The _second_ one I couldn’t share with my amazing, adorably grumpy boyfriend. I mean, Scott is great company, always. And Danny is a good dancer.” Derek growls, but Stiles plows on. “Look, I had _fun_. But it would have been much more fun with _you_ there. My life is just … better with you. I know you don’t see it. So you’ll have to trust me on that. You do trust me, right?”

“Too much.” Derek mumbles, looking the most vulnerable he’s been since Boyd died.

“Shit. Oh my god. Come here. Come here. Mandatory Stilinski hug time.”

Derek’s head falls to the crook of Stiles’s neck and he’s overwhelmed by the scent of affection. He drags his nose up and buries it behind his ear, making Stiles shudder. Stiles tries his best to be comforting and not horny. Not horny. Not horny. He pulls back and cradles Derek’s face in his hands, noticing how it’s already starting to get prickly again. Not quite five o’clock shadow, but maybe three.

“I am lucky to have you, even when you’re being a growly, lurking asshole.” He takes a deep breath. “I promise to do my best to deserve you right back. Ok? Now can we please be done with talking?”

Derek shrugs and Stiles rolls his eyes. He knows this is a problem for another day. Their matching inferiority complexes and recurring worries about the future are too big to tackle in one night. He’ll draw up a battle plan tomorrow. For now, Stiles goes with his old standby, making jokes and ignoring the problem as long as possible.

“Ok, dude. You owe me … hmmmmm … two boozy drinks … and … _five_ dances. I was only going to make you do like three, but I’m giving you a two-dance penalty. So, for your own sake, you probably want to turn that frown upside down and start showing me a good time before you incur further penalties.” Derek huffs and Stiles he might almost see the beginnings of a smile. “You can start by walking in first so I can admire the view from back here. I mean, that is a damn-well tailored suit Lydia found you.”

Derek tries to shake off his melancholy, grabbing onto this second chance to romance the hell out of Stiles for the rest of the night. Luckily he already has a checklist in his pocket for ways to give Stiles the magical night he deserves. He starts by flipping his coat up as he walks away so Stiles can look his fill. Then he leads Stiles to the middle of the dance floor at the first slow song he hears, holding him close and kissing him deeply at the end. Stiles feels a bit lightheaded.

Derek winds them through the crowd of admirers to get him another definitely not-boozy drink from the bar. When Stiles pushes out his lower lip out in a pout, Derek leans in and nips at it, which he hopes has the bonus of getting the bartender off him for good. They throw down their jackets and go dance four fast dances in a row. Danny’s help at prom really paid off, but Stiles will never, never mention that to Derek tonight.

As an additional apology, Derek even dances two more slow songs, though by then they’re mostly just grinding and panting into each other’s necks. By the time Derek pulls back, the DJ is thanking them for the steamy floorshow. The drag queens are holding up a fake scorecards with 10s on all of them. Scott and Kira are hooting at them, and Lydia is leading Liam and Mason in a slow clap. Derek decides it’s time to leave.

When they get back to the house, Stiles does an adorably awkward strip tease, but Derek just pushes him toward the shower. “You still smell like Danny.”

Stiles laughs so hard he can’t even speak, but he does manage to pull Derek into the shower with him.

**Author's Note:**

> Photo credits:
> 
> Stiles: Mitchell Nguyen McCormack, Da Man magazine
> 
> Derek: Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images
> 
> ***
> 
> Now taking recommendations on which LGBTQ+ community day to write about next. Always Sterek, but ask for side pairings if you want, even if they're unusual.


End file.
